lust

Top Tips 023 – Are Sexy Dreams Sinful?

by Jeff Fisher on April 22, 2012

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Sexy dreams are something unavoidable during our sexual purity journey.  We’re in a battle.  We’re fighting for purity.  We’re contending with our lust.  It’s a conscious battle that sometimes spills into our unconscious.

It shouldn’t surprise us that we have sexy dreams.  In the past, we’ve lusted with our eyes, objectified, fantasized about sex, starred at porn and had sexual encounters with others.  All of these memories swim around in our brain and can affect our dream state.  Even if we’ve stopped our behaviors, the memories are still there.

Some sexy dreams come during stressful periods, times where we’re feeling the struggle.

Sexy dreams may come when we’re in need.  We might need touch, affirmation, valued, or a desire for companionship.  When we need connections with other people and with God, those are times I’ve noticed my dreams can be sexy.

We might have sexy dreams after a great encounter with our spouse.  When I bask in the glow it might troll up some garbage.

Sexy dreams are confusing.  They feel real.  They may evoke a wet dream.  They elicit feelings of excitement, fear, confusion, guilt or shame.   They may be accompanied by talking in your sleep or masturbating in your sleep.

ENCOURAGEMENTS

Don’t beat yourself up over them. We’re not responsible for what we do in our unconscious state.  It’s not the same as conscious, willfully sinning.

Know that sexy dreams will happen. They’re a part of your struggle, sin nature, and the process of renewing your mind.

Sexy dreams probably have to do with a struggle. Check yourself.  Check your emotions.  Make sure you’re fighting the battle effectively.

Check the lust flow. What have you been looking at or thinking about and daydreaming about?  Is anything that needs to be cut?

Is there something that needs healing? Ask God to give you insight about your dreams.  Go back.  Maybe you have an attraction or an emotional attachment that needs to be broken.  Ask God to fill that place in your heart with your spouse or Himself.

Pray before you go to bed. Ask God to be Lord of your unconscious.  God wants us to surrender this part of us over to Him too.

Control the things you can control.  Work on the things you open the door to.  What do you watch, look at during the day, day dream about?  What do you meditate on?  Make sure you’re meditating on the good, holy, and pure (Phil. 4:8).

Realize this is a process. Your mind is being transformed and made holy.  You’re somewhere on this journey.  You’re not going to have a perfect unconscious and perfect sleep all the time.

Visit a counselor. You may have damage and a need for healing.  Counselors are trained in matters of the heart.  They can help you explore your dreams more, and the needs in your conscious life.

Bring it out and talk about it with a friend. Bring light to your dreams.  Don’t keep them secret and hidden.  When we internalize it the struggle becomes worse.  You don’t have to talk about the details, but you saying, “I had a sexy dream and it’s carrying over into my day and I don’t want it to be this way.”  Helps a lot.

Sexy dreams can be frustrating, shameful and scary.  But dreams might be springboards for finding experiencing a deeper relationship with God and a deeper level of purity.

jeff@porntopurity.com

@porntopurity on Twitter

Call-in voicemail line line:  (321) 5-PURITY

If you are anywhere within an hour of the Raleigh / Durham area, these seminars will be worth the drive.

Both seminars are led by Brad Hambrick, Pastor of Counseling at The Summit Church in Durham, NC  and  Adjunt Professor of Biblical Counseling at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

False Love: Overcoming Sexual Sin from Lust to Adultery
February 12, 2012 // 5:00 to 8:00 pm
The Summit Church; Brier Creek South Venue
2415 Presidential Drive, Suite 107; Durham, NC 27703
Free – No RSVP Needed

Lust is not a gender specific issue. Lust is not something “some people” struggle with. Lust is not a “phase we go through.” Lust is not a problem that getting married will solve. Lust may never go beyond your imagination, but still create a persistent dissatisfaction with your current relationships or marriage.

Or, lust may be life dominating. Lust may cause you to put your health, your spouse’s health, your job, or your reputation in jeopardy. Lust may lead you to lie and create a double life in ways that you would have never thought you would.

Regardless of your type or depth of struggle with lust or whether your are single or married the “False Love: Overcoming Sexual Sin from Lust to Adultery” seminar is designed to help you walk away from these fantasy-based relationships (yes, even adultery is a fiction and porn is a relationship) and move towards the pure, true love for others than God ordained.

 

True Betrayal: Overcoming the Betrayal of Your Spouse’s Sexual Sin
February 19, 2012 // 5:00 to 8:00 pm
The Summit Church; Brier Creek South Venue
2415 Presidential Drive, Suite 107; Durham, NC 27703
Free – No RSVP Needed

There is no way to prepare for the news that your spouse has been looking at pornography, is having an emotional affair, or is/has committing adultery. Yet even without being able to prepare, you are still forced to respond when the news hits.

Numbness, anger, despair, fear, jealousy, regret, denial, revenge, embarrassment, shame, questions of whether I ever really know the truth, lack of trust, loss of respect, and feelings of loss of permanence are all common responses. But how do you respond to those responses? How do you “move forward”? What is “forward” anyway?

The “True Betrayal: Overcoming the Betrayal of Your Spouse’s Sexual Sin” seminar is intended to guide you through the emotional, mental, and relational dilemmas of your spouse’s sexual sin. It helps you answer the practical informational questions (i.e., What do I need to know? What should I expect from my spouse? Why is the “why” question so plaguing and hurtful?), and it walks you through the emotional pain that no answers to any questions will alleviate.

If you are anywhere within an hour of the Raleigh / Durham area, these seminars will be worth the drive.

Both seminars are led by Brad Hambrick, Pastor of Counseling at The Summit Church in Durham, NC  and  Adjunt Professor of Biblical Counseling at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

False Love: Overcoming Sexual Sin from Lust to Adultery
February 12, 2012 // 5:00 to 8:00 pm
The Summit Church; Brier Creek South Venue
2415 Presidential Drive, Suite 107; Durham, NC 27703
Free – No RSVP Needed

Lust is not a gender specific issue. Lust is not something “some people” struggle with. Lust is not a “phase we go through.” Lust is not a problem that getting married will solve. Lust may never go beyond your imagination, but still create a persistent dissatisfaction with your current relationships or marriage.

Or, lust may be life dominating. Lust may cause you to put your health, your spouse’s health, your job, or your reputation in jeopardy. Lust may lead you to lie and create a double life in ways that you would have never thought you would.

Regardless of your type or depth of struggle with lust or whether your are single or married the “False Love: Overcoming Sexual Sin from Lust to Adultery” seminar is designed to help you walk away from these fantasy-based relationships (yes, even adultery is a fiction and porn is a relationship) and move towards the pure, true love for others than God ordained.

 

True Betrayal: Overcoming the Betrayal of Your Spouse’s Sexual Sin
February 19, 2012 // 5:00 to 8:00 pm
The Summit Church; Brier Creek South Venue
2415 Presidential Drive, Suite 107; Durham, NC 27703
Free – No RSVP Needed

There is no way to prepare for the news that your spouse has been looking at pornography, is having an emotional affair, or is/has committing adultery. Yet even without being able to prepare, you are still forced to respond when the news hits.

Numbness, anger, despair, fear, jealousy, regret, denial, revenge, embarrassment, shame, questions of whether I ever really know the truth, lack of trust, loss of respect, and feelings of loss of permanence are all common responses. But how do you respond to those responses? How do you “move forward”? What is “forward” anyway?

The “True Betrayal: Overcoming the Betrayal of Your Spouse’s Sexual Sin” seminar is intended to guide you through the emotional, mental, and relational dilemmas of your spouse’s sexual sin. It helps you answer the practical informational questions (i.e., What do I need to know? What should I expect from my spouse? Why is the “why” question so plaguing and hurtful?), and it walks you through the emotional pain that no answers to any questions will alleviate.

If you are anywhere within an hour of the Raleigh / Durham area, these seminars will be worth the drive.

Both seminars are led by Brad Hambrick, Pastor of Counseling at The Summit Church in Durham, NC  and  Adjunt Professor of Biblical Counseling at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

False Love: Overcoming Sexual Sin from Lust to Adultery
February 12, 2012 // 5:00 to 8:00 pm
The Summit Church; Brier Creek South Venue
2415 Presidential Drive, Suite 107; Durham, NC 27703
Free – No RSVP Needed

Lust is not a gender specific issue. Lust is not something “some people” struggle with. Lust is not a “phase we go through.” Lust is not a problem that getting married will solve. Lust may never go beyond your imagination, but still create a persistent dissatisfaction with your current relationships or marriage.

Or, lust may be life dominating. Lust may cause you to put your health, your spouse’s health, your job, or your reputation in jeopardy. Lust may lead you to lie and create a double life in ways that you would have never thought you would.

Regardless of your type or depth of struggle with lust or whether your are single or married the “False Love: Overcoming Sexual Sin from Lust to Adultery” seminar is designed to help you walk away from these fantasy-based relationships (yes, even adultery is a fiction and porn is a relationship) and move towards the pure, true love for others than God ordained.

 

True Betrayal: Overcoming the Betrayal of Your Spouse’s Sexual Sin
February 19, 2012 // 5:00 to 8:00 pm
The Summit Church; Brier Creek South Venue
2415 Presidential Drive, Suite 107; Durham, NC 27703
Free – No RSVP Needed

There is no way to prepare for the news that your spouse has been looking at pornography, is having an emotional affair, or is/has committing adultery. Yet even without being able to prepare, you are still forced to respond when the news hits.

Numbness, anger, despair, fear, jealousy, regret, denial, revenge, embarrassment, shame, questions of whether I ever really know the truth, lack of trust, loss of respect, and feelings of loss of permanence are all common responses. But how do you respond to those responses? How do you “move forward”? What is “forward” anyway?

The “True Betrayal: Overcoming the Betrayal of Your Spouse’s Sexual Sin” seminar is intended to guide you through the emotional, mental, and relational dilemmas of your spouse’s sexual sin. It helps you answer the practical informational questions (i.e., What do I need to know? What should I expect from my spouse? Why is the “why” question so plaguing and hurtful?), and it walks you through the emotional pain that no answers to any questions will alleviate.

If you are anywhere within an hour of the Raleigh / Durham area, these seminars will be worth the drive.

Both seminars are led by Brad Hambrick, Pastor of Counseling at The Summit Church in Durham, NC  and  Adjunt Professor of Biblical Counseling at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

False Love: Overcoming Sexual Sin from Lust to Adultery
February 12, 2012 // 5:00 to 8:00 pm
The Summit Church; Brier Creek South Venue
2415 Presidential Drive, Suite 107; Durham, NC 27703
Free – No RSVP Needed

Lust is not a gender specific issue. Lust is not something “some people” struggle with. Lust is not a “phase we go through.” Lust is not a problem that getting married will solve. Lust may never go beyond your imagination, but still create a persistent dissatisfaction with your current relationships or marriage.

Or, lust may be life dominating. Lust may cause you to put your health, your spouse’s health, your job, or your reputation in jeopardy. Lust may lead you to lie and create a double life in ways that you would have never thought you would.

Regardless of your type or depth of struggle with lust or whether your are single or married the “False Love: Overcoming Sexual Sin from Lust to Adultery” seminar is designed to help you walk away from these fantasy-based relationships (yes, even adultery is a fiction and porn is a relationship) and move towards the pure, true love for others than God ordained.

 

True Betrayal: Overcoming the Betrayal of Your Spouse’s Sexual Sin
February 19, 2012 // 5:00 to 8:00 pm
The Summit Church; Brier Creek South Venue
2415 Presidential Drive, Suite 107; Durham, NC 27703
Free – No RSVP Needed

There is no way to prepare for the news that your spouse has been looking at pornography, is having an emotional affair, or is/has committing adultery. Yet even without being able to prepare, you are still forced to respond when the news hits.

Numbness, anger, despair, fear, jealousy, regret, denial, revenge, embarrassment, shame, questions of whether I ever really know the truth, lack of trust, loss of respect, and feelings of loss of permanence are all common responses. But how do you respond to those responses? How do you “move forward”? What is “forward” anyway?

The “True Betrayal: Overcoming the Betrayal of Your Spouse’s Sexual Sin” seminar is intended to guide you through the emotional, mental, and relational dilemmas of your spouse’s sexual sin. It helps you answer the practical informational questions (i.e., What do I need to know? What should I expect from my spouse? Why is the “why” question so plaguing and hurtful?), and it walks you through the emotional pain that no answers to any questions will alleviate.

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PURITY VERSE: 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. Romans 7:24-25 TODAY’S [...]

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PURITY VERSE: 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. Romans 7:15 TODAY’S EPISODE:  A great verse from the book of Romans, Paul shares his struggles between his spirit man and his fleshly nature.  Just like you and I, [...]

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